int keyword in C (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 11 Jun, 2026

The int keyword in C is used to declare integer variables that store whole numbers without decimal values. It is one of the most commonly used data types in C programming.

• int stands for integer.
• It is used to store positive, negative, and zero values.
• Most modern systems allocate 4 bytes of memory for an int. C `

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){ int age = 25;

printf("Age = %d", age);

return 0;

}

`

**Explanation:

In the above example:

• int age = 25; declares an integer variable named age.
• The value 25 is stored in the variable.
• %d is used in printf() to display an integer value.

Syntax

int variable_name;

Multiple int Variables

We can declare multiple integer variables in a single statement.

C `

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){

int a = 10, b = 20, c = 30;

printf("%d %d %d", a, b, c);

return 0;

}

`

Size of int

The sizeof() operator can be used to determine the memory occupied by an integer variable.

C `

#include <stdio.h>

int main(){

printf("Size of int = %zu bytes", sizeof(int));

return 0;

}

`

Output

Size of int = 4 bytes

**Note: The size of int may vary depending on the compiler and system architecture, although it is typically 4 bytes on modern systems.

Range of int

A signed integer generally stores values in the following range:

Advantages of Using int

• Efficient for storing whole numbers.
• Faster arithmetic operations compared to floating-point types.
• Widely supported across all C compilers.
• Requires less memory than larger integer types such as long long.